


The Pitfalls of Being Miss Perfect

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-10
Updated: 2012-09-10
Packaged: 2017-11-13 22:35:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/508457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anything less than her absolute best was unacceptable.  Tom had no idea how to break her out of that.  It was probably impossible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Pitfalls of Being Miss Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> This story is written in the Life Unexpected universe where the main characters are teenagers. We all know that no matter what fandom you're in there's always room for a teenage AU. I love this pairing so much even though it only exists in my mind. I was glad to find another universe for them to thrive.

“What do you think of pathology?”

“Dead people?” Elizabeth scrunched her nose. “You're asking me what I think of dead people.”

“Forensic pathology is the study of causes of death, yes. But pathology actually encompasses an entire litany of theories, diagnoses, and branches of medicine.”

“Hmm.” She nodded and went back to her speech. 

The election was in two weeks and the speeches were on Monday. She should've gotten a speechwriter; it wasn’t against the rules. But Elizabeth was a brilliant girl and knew she could do it herself. She knew she wanted this and was quite good at reading what people wanted. There were no empty promises in her speech. Let her opponents give the false hope of off-campus lunch and dress down Fridays.

“So what do you think of it?” Tom asked again.

“Think about what?”

“Pathology, Elizabeth.” Tom did his best to hide his exasperation but he didn’t like when he wasn’t being listened to. He knew Elizabeth had a lot on her mind and was quite busy. Still, he always listened to her. Tom didn’t just hear he listened; he loved listening to her talk.

“Honestly, I don’t know much about it.” she sipped her peach mango smoothie. “I thought you wanted to be a cardio-thoracic surgeon. You’ve talked about being a cardio-thoracic surgeon for as long as I've known you. Well, there was that time you thought of being an ER doctor but that didn’t last long.”

“The heart is surely an adventurous organ but I've been reading up on pathology. I think research and diagnostics is the future of medicine. Through pathology someone will eventually come up with a way to grow even more cells outside of the body. Elizabeth, that discovery will save millions of people who die waiting for a transplant. I could be on the front lines for that.”

“I’ll need to read up on it. I just don’t know enough about it to make an informed decision. I can say I would feel a lot better if you didn’t poke dead people all day. I just want you to do what makes you happy, Tom.” Elizabeth reached for his hand and squeezed it.

“What if medicine didn’t make me happy?” he asked.

“You're not allowed to be a lawyer, no discussion.” She shook her head. “But there are plenty of careers worthy of you. I didn’t decide medicine for you; you decided it for yourself.”

Tom wanted to be a doctor since he was a little boy. His father was a doctor, so was his grandfather and great-grandfather. The love of medicine ran through the bloodstream of Barton men. His sister Julianne had just begun her freshman year at Stanford studying pre-med. She planned to break the glass ceiling on the family business.

“You have a few years to make these big decisions.” Elizabeth folded her speech in half, slipping it into her Manhattan Portage messenger bag.

“Actually I don’t. There are only two years of high school left.”

“Yes but then there's four years of college, three of medical school, three years or so of medical internship, and then residency. That’s when you'll start to think about a focus. Before that you're dipping your foot into as many waters as you can. Actual practice will give you much more of an idea than reading the New England Journal of Medicine.”

“You have your life virtually mapped out.” Tom reasoned.

“Well I'm anal…and I'm the only one allowed to say so.” Elizabeth laughed as she stuck out her tongue. “Planning, fixing, and perfecting comforts me. And even with all of that something will come along to throw a monkey wrench in it. Then I’ll be flying by the seat of my pants.”

“I bet you're going to nail that too.” Tom smiled.

“What if I don’t?” she asked.

“I don’t understand the question.”

Elizabeth smiled some, reaching for his hand again. He met her at Cosi after school, she at Chapin and Tom at York Prep. They weren't able to get together everyday with their many extra-curricular activities, so this was a nice afternoon change. She always wanted to spend at least one afternoon together in addition to their date nights on weekends. 

It seemed improbable that as a senior and junior in high school that they couldn’t make more time for each other. There always seemed to be something else keeping them busy. Sports, studying, clubs, groups, and friends filled their schedules. What would happen when school was replaced by successful medical and political careers?

“I'm being serious Tom.”

“You want to know what if you don’t nail it?” he asked.

“Yes.” Elizabeth nodded.

“Firstly I think that’s improbable. You're the most intelligent and thorough person that I know. You play no games when it comes to your future and the goals you want to accomplish. Nothing is impossible though. If for whatever reason you don’t nail it, I won't love you any less. 

“I love you, Elizabeth Prentiss. I love your drive, your smile, and the way you can bend nearly everything to your will. As we grow up its possible that your ideas about success might change. You might want more or less. I hope not more.” Tom smiled. “Whatever happens I will always, always love you. Are you alright?”

“I'm fine.” She put on a beautiful smile.

“Not true.”

There had been moments when Tom saw Elizabeth’s vulnerability. While her take charge, driven attitude turned him on, her vulnerability was just as beautiful. She wasn’t perfect even though she desired to be. Elizabeth wanted to be the best student, athlete, daughter, girlfriend, and human being. Anything less than her absolute best was unacceptable. Tom had no idea how to break her out of that. It was probably impossible.

“This stupid speech is driving me crazy. I should've just had someone write it for me. I surely have enough to do.”

“No one knows your heart but you, Lids.”

“This isn’t about heart…this is politics.”

“Ahh yes, of course.” He smiled. “I think you should just put aside for a while. You can take some deep breaths and remember why you want to do this. Perhaps your dad can help.”

“Yes,” Elizabeth said. “I can talk to Daddy about it this evening. Thank you.”

“You're welcome. I wish you wouldn’t push yourself so hard. And don’t tell me that you just want to be the best because I already know that. But you're still a teenager and you need to have fun.”

“Politics is fun, Tom.” She reasoned.

“I think that’s only true in Elizabeth-land.” He grinned, letting go of her hand and sipping his Diet Coke. “After graduation and before you go to Smith I think…”

“Bryn Mawr.”

“Bryn Mawr what?” Tom asked.

“I've decided on Bryn Mawr; Smith is no longer my first choice.”

“Why not?”

“Well, for one it doesn’t offer a Political Science major if you can believe it.” Elizabeth replied. “Bryn Mawr does, and it’s close to Philadelphia. I’ll be studying in the birthplace of our country. It’s also only an hour and a half away from New York…Smith is twice that distance. 

“So I’ll go to Bryn Mawr to study Political Science and Women’s Studies. Then I’ll come home to NYU to get my Masters in Politics. They have a program focusing on International Relations. My father teaches a class there.”

“And you think you're not going to nail it?”

“Tom…”

“From the moment you graduate from high school until you leave for Bryn Mawr, you're not going to do anything but have fun.” he said. “There will be no worrying, no planning, absolutely nothing but you and me. If we’re going to have to survive on long distance for as long as we’ll have to, this is going to be our only shot. Do you have summer plans?”

“We’re planning a girls’ Toronto trip for the end of July. It’s going to be two weeks and I think we’re going to ask Sarah Morgan along. I think I might like her, Tom. She’s good people as my mother would say. You can never have too many good people in your corner. But I've also seen the serious side of her and she’s an asset in every way.”

“Friends are more than assets, Lids.” Tom replied.

“Of course they are…but they're also assets.”

“I don’t know what I'm going to do with you.” he laughed.

“What do you mean?” Elizabeth smiled.

“You're a very special girl, Elizabeth Prentiss. I love you madly and I always will.”

“I love you too.” 

Even though she thought public displays of affection were not even close to classy, she leaned over and kissed her boyfriend. When Tom smiled she caressed his face. He couldn’t help but kiss her again.

“I should probably walk you home.” Tom whispered, their faces still close together. “I know you want to finish that speech and I have calculus homework.”

“Are you coming to my field hockey game day after tomorrow?” Elizabeth stood and gathered the rest of her things littering the table. Tom cleaned up their afterschool snacks and trays. “It’s a home game against St. Anne’s. I'm sure we’ll wipe the floor with them.”

“I’ll be there.” Tom nodded as he put on his backpack. “I’ll be a little late because there’ll probably be some strategizing after school but I’ll be there.”

“OK.”

Holding hands they emptied their trays, put them on top of the trashcan, and walked out of Cosi. It was mid-October; the sun set sooner and some evenings could be chilly. Tonight was perfect though, even with the drizzle in the air. Elizabeth’s condo building was about five blocks away and the walk would be perfect.

“Before bed tonight I'm going to read up on pathology.” She said.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Yes I do. If it interests you Tom I at least want to know about it, even if it turns out to bore me to death. Plus, I really did think it was just about dead people.”

“Its not.” He shook his head.

“I know now, and I'm interested. I will never be one of those vapid girlfriends who brags about how awesome you are while really knowing absolutely nothing about you. I even told Ursula last week that you’re good on your guitar.”

“Mmm, I wouldn’t say good.”

“I would.” Elizabeth looked at him and smiled. “You might not cut an album in the near future but it gives you something to focus on that isn’t just books and future plans. I might need something like that.”

“I could teach you guitar.” Tom suggested.

“That’s sweet but I need something just for me. I might pick up my camera again. I loved it when I was a little girl, traveling all over the world and taking pictures. New York City is one of the most amazing cities in the world; I should take advantage of that. God, where would I find the time?”

“You have to make time to breathe, Lids.”

“Yeah.” she nodded and just held his hand as they walked. 

Elizabeth wasn’t unhappy with her intense, tight schedule. She liked being busy and all of her accomplishments. But Tom was right. Breathing was definitely something she hadn't been doing much of lately. Maybe tonight, or some time this week, she would go through her calendar and carve out some time. 

It was a little sad that breathing had to be scheduled too but it was a start. Elizabeth planned everything so why should relaxing be any different. Planned things could be just as good as unplanned things. Spontaneity wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

“I'm going to go out this weekend and take some pictures.”

“That sounds like a lot of fun.” Tom said.

“I'm sure there will be something going on in Central Park. So I’ll take pictures and then we’ll meet up for a late lunch. Do you want to?”

“Yes. I’ll bring my guitar…we’ll breathe together.”

Elizabeth smiled and squeezed his hand. She was a very lucky girl to have him. And Tom was lucky too as Elizabeth Prentiss was a serious catch. Even in a relationship she was still beating guys off with a stick. She knew other girls were eyeing her boyfriend too but she wasn’t the jealous type. 

Her mother always told her it caused migraines and wrinkles. If you have to worry so much about a man, Constance Prentiss would say, get rid of him. Elizabeth didn’t worry about Tom. He was in love. Tom probably had no idea that she loved him just as much. They were the perfect fit for each other, whether Elizabeth was perfect or not.

***


End file.
